Some leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) can decide to be loose cannons and at worst be disruptive characters to create the environment for incompetent NDC to win election 2024.
But one thing is clear; and that is no matter the machinations of the loose cannons still in the NPP, the rank and file of the membership are determined to ‘break the eight’.
The NPP’s internal contest, which was in the past a delight to follow, has this year turned into a “bloody” war by some of the so-called founding fathers to such an extent that we wonder whether there are no more elders in the “House.”
Today we recall with nostalgia the likes of B. J. da Rocha, Peter Ala Adjetey, Samuel Odoi Sykes and Harona Esseku, some of whom were stalwarts in the days of Kofi Abrefa Busia for their principled stance on party discipline. That is why we recall da Rocha’s response to Alan’s resignation letter in 2008 in which he advised the party leadership to allow Alan to go with his “troubles.”
Characteristic of a prophet, da Rocha said among other things that he could become a “disruptive factor in the party, a stumbling block and loose cannon.”
“The party has an election to win. We should concentrate our efforts in the task ahead and let him go his way in peace.”
From hindsight now, it would have been good for the party to have allowed Alan to go in peace in 2008. The pain would have been excruciating then but today Alan would not have resigned again. We are always told democracy is a number game, but it also plays by the rules. It is our humble opinion that opposition cannot be equated to hell. It is painful to lose an election and become a General Secretary of a party in opposition, but supporters of NPP will not die because the party has lost an election.
The party is a family but with a difference because the members joined on their own volition, however, some members think that they have become so popular that they do not need the party any longer because without them NPP is headed for opposition.
These people, very uncharacteristic of the NPP, have become barking braggarts saying things to hurt the party because they have developed verbal diarrhoea.
Certainly, we need unity but we should not preach unity at the expense of party discipline. The primaries is not a declaration of war for some of the candidates to be shouting “showdown” and threatening that he would send the party into opposition.
Those who make such declarations must stop “crucifying” the party’s credentials in attempts to gain favour with the delegates. If they feel strongly that the NPP is no longer “clean” as it is engulfed in corrupt practices, including the fact that they are stashing money abroad, they should heed the advice of da Rocha and take a bow so that they do not become disruptive characters in the party.
We may not be far from right to say that by the lack of messages from such people, who adopt tribal politics and hate speech, they have become loose cannons thereby diverting attention from the core agenda of ‘breaking the eight’ in order to sustain the free SHS policy for the good of our children.
We recall that prior to the August 26 conference, the candidates were asked to sign a declaration that they would not leave the party in the event of disagreements. Are the candidates aware of the legal implications of their actions?
Mr. Stephen Ayesu Ntim, Mr. Justin Frimpong Kodua and his executives must act quickly to end the insults and hate speeches so that the party does not fall apart under his watch.